Nigeria has declared its readiness to support a candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General who is committed to advancing Africa’s aspirations in global affairs, promoting multilateralism and ensuring equity, justice and fairness in international governance.
Vice President Kashim Shettima stated this during a meeting with Costa Rica’s candidate for the UN Secretary-General position, Rebeca Grynspan, in New York, United States.
According to a statement issued by the Vice President’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said Nigeria’s support would be guided by the need to ensure that Africa secures meaningful representation in key global decision-making institutions.
“Nigeria will also support a candidate who believes in Africa’s aspirations in global affairs, specifically securing positions in key decision-making bodies and promoting multilateralism,” he said.
The Vice President disclosed that he would recommend Grynspan’s candidature, citing Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with Latin America, the need for gender inclusion and other considerations.
He noted that Nigeria and Costa Rica shared historical connections and maintained cordial relations, stressing that Nigeria was committed to strengthening its ties with Latin American countries.
“Thank you for seeking Nigeria’s perspective for your candidature for the United Nations Secretary-General.
“Nigeria and Costa Rica share a common historical background connecting both countries and their regions.
“We also have a cordial relationship with Latin America, and we do not wish to jeopardise it.
“Beyond our historical ties and relations rest our interest in conflict prevention, multilateralism, and the peace of our nations,” Shettima said.
At the heart of Nigeria’s position, however, is the need to reform the global governance system to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and the growing influence of developing countries.
Shettima observed that the international governance architecture established in 1945 had yet to adequately accommodate Africa’s growing population and its expanding role in global affairs.
He said the continent, with a population estimated at more than 1.3 billion people, deserved a more prominent place in international decision-making, particularly within the United Nations.
The Vice President’s remarks underscore Nigeria’s longstanding advocacy for greater African representation in global institutions and a more inclusive multilateral system capable of addressing emerging international challenges.
Grynspan Seeks Nigeria’s Support
Earlier, Grynspan had appealed to Nigeria to support her bid to become the next UN Secretary-General, expressing her commitment to reforms that would make the organisation more responsive to the needs of member states, particularly those in the Global South.
The Costa Rican diplomat said her background and experience positioned her to advance the interests of developing countries while strengthening the UN’s capacity to promote peace and international cooperation.
“Coming from the Global South, I represent the interest and demands of the region.
“I also have a soft spot for Africa. I know the continent and its aspirations,” she said.
Grynspan pledged to prioritise peace and ensure that the concerns of developing countries received adequate attention under her leadership.
She also assured Nigeria that Africa’s ambition to secure permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council would receive urgent attention, with a commitment to advancing its actualisation.
Her appeal comes amid growing calls for reforms of the UN Security Council to address the historical underrepresentation of Africa and other developing regions in the body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
Nigeria, Netherlands Deepen Financial Inclusion Partnership
In a related development, Nigeria and the Netherlands have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation to expand financial inclusion and improve the financial well-being of Nigerians, particularly women and vulnerable groups.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Shettima and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in New York.
Under the proposed partnership, the Netherlands will deploy its expertise and experience in financial health to support Nigeria’s financial inclusion programmes, with emphasis on improving access to financial services and strengthening the economic resilience of citizens.
Shettima welcomed the initiative, describing the Netherlands’ focus on financial health and inclusion as timely and relevant to Nigeria’s development priorities.
He noted that financial inclusion was closely linked to education, national security and poverty reduction, stressing that expanding access to financial services would help improve livelihoods and strengthen economic participation.
The Vice President identified the government’s conditional cash transfer initiative and programmes in the agricultural sector as some of the measures already being implemented to expand financial inclusion.
He said the initiatives were producing positive results across various sectors of the economy.
Shettima also highlighted the role of Nigeria’s fintech industry, noting that government policies had positioned some of Africa’s leading financial technology companies to contribute significantly to the country’s efforts to bring financially excluded citizens into the formal financial system.
He defended the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing them as necessary responses to the economic conditions inherited in 2023.
Netherlands Pledges Technical Support
Queen Máxima, who also serves as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, commended Nigeria’s economic growth and acknowledged the administration’s efforts to expand financial inclusion.
She pledged the Netherlands’ support for improving financial health in Nigeria through the sharing of technical expertise and practical experience in areas such as insurance, credit guarantees and data generation.
According to her, the financial health initiative is designed to strengthen citizens’ resilience, protect their investments and expand access to insurance schemes that can help households and businesses withstand economic shocks.
The proposed collaboration is expected to complement Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to deepen financial inclusion, strengthen social protection and improve access to financial services for underserved populations.
Together, the two engagements in New York reflect Nigeria’s parallel diplomatic and economic priorities: advancing Africa’s representation in global governance while building international partnerships to strengthen domestic economic resilience and inclusion.
